Folker

This interesting surname may derive from either of two personal names. Firstly, it may be of Old Germanic origin, from the Germanic personal name "Fulchar, Fulcher" (Old French "Foucher"), composed of the elements "folk", people, and "hari, heri", army, which was introduced into England by the Normans in the aftermath of the Conquest of 1066. However, in some instances, it may come from the Old Danish "Folkar" or the Olde English pre 7th Century "Folchere", but this is less likely. The personal name itself appears as "Fulcher" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Other surnames from this source include Fulcher, Fulger, Fulscher, Fucher, Fudger, Futcher, Folkar, Foulcher and Foucar. Early examples of the surname include Ralph Fulcher (Suffolk, 1182); Peter Fulker (Wiltshire, 1212); Eustace Folchir (Hampshire, 1212); Nicholas Fuker (Devonshire, 1234); Warin Fucher (Essex, 1235); and John Foucher (Wiltshire, 1242). The Coat of Arms most associated with the family depicts an ermine shield, on a red bend three plates, with the Crest, a demi lion holding an anchor proper. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger Fulchier, which was dated 1167, in the "Pipe Rolls of Hampshire", during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.